PH driver robbed and shot in leg

One suspect held

Northern Division police, with assistance from officers of the Prisons Service, resulted in the arrest of a 21-year-old man. Yesterday morning, shortly after he and another individual allegedly shot and robbed a “private hirer” (PH) driver of his vehicle in Arima.

At about 12.10 a.m., the 32-year-old driver, from Arima, was plying his car for hire along Cocorite Road, where he picked up two male passengers.

Shortly afterwards, one of the passengers hit the driver with a blunt instrument to his head and ordered him to stop the car and get out.

The victim complied with the instructions, while standing outside of his car one of the assailants pulled a firearm and shot the driver once in his right leg.

The men then escaped in the vehicle, leaving the wounded man bleeding at the side of the road. Concerned residents, on hearing the gunshot, notified the police and emergency health services and the driver was rushed to Arima District Hospital, before being transferred to Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope.

An all points bulletin (APB) was issued by officers of the Northern Division and a party of officers, under the supervision of Senior Superintendent David Abraham with assistance from Inspector Mark Maraj, Inspector Eric Parks and Cpl Seepio, responded. The stolen vehicle was spotted along Churchill Roosevelt Highway, in the vicinity of the traffic lights near Bhagwansinghs’ Hardware at Piarco Junction.

It was intercepted a short distance away, but the two suspects exited the car and ran into the bushes, heading in the direction of Golden Groove Prison, Arouca. Senior Superintendent Abraham made contact with Prisons’ Assistant Commissioner Alexander and a team of prison officers were sent to assist the police in combing the area in the darkness.

With the combined efforts of both security services, the officers were able to hold one suspect, from Laventille.A 9mm pistol and 11 rounds of ammunition were also recovered. Police sources told the Express that officers were working with “certain information” attained and an arrest of the second suspect is imminent. The wounded man, police said, has since been discharged from